Despite purchasing the 7 Marine engine company in 2017, Volvo Penta will discontinue production of the world’s most powerful outboard engine effective January 1st, 2021.
Earlier this week the Volvo Group announced the ambition to be a net-zero emissions company by 2050, at the very latest. In order to be transparent on its progress, the company is now committing to the Science Based Targets initiative. Targets and roadmaps will be established during 2021.
As a result of this accelerated transformation journey, the company will put its outboard development on hold. Therefore, Volvo Penta will stop the sales and marketing of Seven Marine engines (from January 1st, 2021) – as well as phasing out production once customer demand is met. The company will, however, continue to support the current outboard customer base by taking full warranty and parts responsibility for the products that are in the field.
“We want to send a clear message. Volvo Penta does foresee that the outboard segment will continue to be relevant for the Marine Leisure market, but we believe that the indisputable need to drive advancements in sustainable technology must be our main focus. This is why, for the time being, the exploration of new technology together with the development of our core business, such as Volvo Penta IPS and sterndrives, will be the center of our efforts.”
It remains to be seen how the discontinuation will affect the high-end performance market, as some manufacturers have strong loyalties to 7 Marine and its high-output engines. As one example, the recent re-launch of Pantera powerboats included a 7 Marine 627 hp supercharged V8 on one of its showcase models.